Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Omega Time Golden&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Omega Time Golden’, having medium size, golden yellow single flowers with a lime green disc. The new variety has a medium vigor with a free branching uniform habit and a good foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/703,339, filed Jul. 28, 2005.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Omega Time Golden’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, and referred to by the cultivar name ‘Omega Time Golden’.

‘Omega Time Golden’, identified as 20929-18 was discovered as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety ‘Mega Time Amber’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,194).

The new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings, in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Omega Time Golden’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having golden yellow single flowers with a lime green disc.

Comparison with Original Cultivar

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ are similar to the original cultivar ‘Mega Time Amber’ in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ compared to plants of the original cultivar ‘Mega Time Amber’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ produces golden yellow         single flowers whereas ‘Mega Time Amber’ produces amber/golden         single flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ have a lime         green disc whereas the plants of ‘Mega Time Amber’ have a dark         spot in the centre of the disc.

Comparison with ‘Swing Time Yellow’

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ are dissimilar to plants of the variety ‘Swing Time Yellow’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,463) in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ differed from plants of ‘Swing Time Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ produces golden yellow         single flowers whereas ‘Swing Time Yellow’ produces yellow         single flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ have smaller         and shorter inflorescence than plants of ‘Swing Time Yellow’.     -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ have lighter         foliage than plants of ‘Swing Time Yellow’.     -   4. Plants of the new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ have a quicker         response time than plants of ‘Swing Time Yellow’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ are shown in the accompanying digital photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 60 days from the onset of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Omega Time Golden’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, in the month of June. The cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a pot Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 24° C. during the day under light conditions of about 2,500 Lux. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such as one B9 treatment at about 2 grams per liter to produce a commercial product, the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container size for commercial growth is 1 liter. It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 28 days with a response time of about 8.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature range of about 15° C. to 25° C.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as pot Chrysanthemum. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

Plant

-   Plant type: Pot. -   Habit: Upright and free branching. -   Height (cm): 24. -   Width (cm): 35. -   Stem:     -   -   Length (cm).—6.5.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Color.—137B. -   Branching characteristics: Upright and free branching. -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Length (cm).—16.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.8.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent. -   Number of breaks from pinch: 5. -   Response time: 58 days. -   Vigor: Medium. -   Shelf Life: 28 days. -   Life of blooms: 28 days. -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None     observed to date. -   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter     B9@2, 21 and 28 days after sticking unrooted cuttings.

The plants were grown for two weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of dark).

-   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings.         -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.         -   Rooting habit.—After 7 Long Days, the first roots emerge and             form root primordia. In 14 Long Days, a complete root system             is developed.

Foliage

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 12. -   Compound or single: Single. -   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate.     -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed ovate.         -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 4 Length (cm): 6.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Attachment.—Petioled.         -   Aspect.—Slightly curving.         -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.         -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly pubescent Bottom:             Pubescent. -   Petiole:     -   -   Color.—137D.         -   Length (cm).—1.5.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent. -   Venation: Net, prominent lateral and mid-veins at underside.     -   -   Color.—upper side: 137C underside: 138B. -   Color:     -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—137C; underside: 138C.         -   Young leaf, upper side.—137B; under side: 138C.

Flower

-   Flower appearance: Matte. -   Flower type: Single. -   Flower form: Slightly cupped. -   Flower shape: Round. -   Flowering habit: Cyme. -   Number of blossoms per branch: 6. -   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December. -   Inflorescence form: Cyme.     -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—2.         -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—7. -   Phyllaries:     -   -   Number.—20.         -   Color.—near 137C.         -   Length (cm).—0.7.         -   Width (cm).—0.1.         -   Texture/appearance.—Pubescent. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length (cm).—10.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.         -   Angle from stem (degrees).—10.         -   Color.—137C.         -   Surface.—Pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly curving.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—terminal (cm): 3; lateral (cm): 4.5.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.         -   Color.—137C.         -   Surface.—Pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly curving.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Straight with parallel edges to the central mid             vein with a rounded tip.         -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.         -   Number per flower.—25.         -   Length (cm).—3.5; Width (cm): 1.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Tapered.         -   Margin.—Entire. -   Disc florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindric.         -   Texture/appearance.—Shiny.         -   Number per flower.—120.         -   Length (cm).—0.6; Width (cm): 0.1.         -   Diameter of disc (cm).—1.3. -   Fragrance: None. -   Flower bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length (cm).—1.         -   Diameter (cm).—1.         -   Form/shape.—Globular. -   General flower color:     -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: 14A Mature: 9A             Older/Fading: 9A.         -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: 14B Mature: 14B             Older/Fading: 13C.         -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: 143B and 152B Mature: 9B and 152B             Older/Fading: 9B and 152B.         -   4. Bud.—9A. -   Flower progression with age: There are no changes to the flower form     but there is a slight color fading with age.

Reproductive Organs

-   Gynoecium: present on ray and disc florets. -   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate.     -   -   Pistil number.—25.         -   Stigma color.—near 154A.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—near 154B.         -   Style length (cm).—0.2. -   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate.     -   -   Pistil number.—near 130.         -   Stigma color.—near 154A.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—near 154B.         -   Style length (cm).—0.2. -   Androecium: not observed. -   Fruit and seeds: None observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 